Mechanisms to specify an allowed amount of change for digital media

Abstract

A method comprises generating an original digital content, generating a first set of rules pertaining to permissible changes to the original digital content, generating a cryptographically signed certificate comprising the first set of rules and a hash of the original digital content, and publishing the original digital content and the associated cryptographically signed certificate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processor-implemented method, comprising:
 generating an original digital content;   generating a first set of rules pertaining to permissible changes to the original digital content;   generating a cryptographically signed certificate comprising a reference that provides access to the first set of rules and a hash of the original digital content; and   publishing the original digital content and the associated cryptographically signed certificate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of rules comprises at least one of:
 a maximum amount of permissible change for at least one object in the original digital content;   a minimum amount of permissible change for at least one object in the original digital content;   an identifier of one or more portions of the original digital content that cannot be modified;   one or more rules regulating who can modify the original digital content;   one or more rules regulating who cannot modify the original digital content;   one or more rules regulating which tools may be used to modify the original digital content; or   one or more rules defining whether the original digital content may be extended or modified.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of rules comprises:
 one or more rules binding the first set of rules to a smart contract.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of rules comprises:
 one or more rules limiting a length of a chain of derivative works.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, in an apprising entity, the original digital content, the cryptographically signed certificate, and a modified digital content derived from the original digital content;   extracting, from the signed certificate, the first set of rules pertaining to permissible changes to the original digital content;   applying the first set of rules to the modified digital content to generate a set of verification results; and   storing the set of verification results in a computer-readable memory in association with an identifier of the signed certificate.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting the verification results to an author of the modified content derived from the original content.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 providing an alert to an author of the original digital content.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising processing circuitry to:
 generate an original digital content;   generate a first set of rules pertaining to permissible changes to the original digital content;   generate a cryptographically signed certificate comprising a reference that provides access to the first set of rules and a hash of the original digital content; and   publish the original digital content and the associated cryptographically signed certificate.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first set of rules comprises at least one of:
 a maximum amount of permissible change for at least one object in the original digital content;   a minimum amount of permissible change for at least one object in the original digital content;   an identifier of one or more portions of the original digital content that cannot be modified;   one or more rules regulating who can modify the original digital content;   one or more rules regulating who cannot modify the original digital content;   one or more rules regulating which tools may be used to modify the original digital content; or   one or more rules defining whether the original digital content may be extended or modified.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first set of rules comprises:
 one or more rules binding the first set of rules to a smart contract.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first set of rules comprises:
 one or more rules limiting a length of a chain of derivative works.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising processor circuitry to:
 receive, in an apprising entity, the original digital content, the cryptographically signed certificate, and a modified digital content derived from the original digital content;   extract, from the signed certificate, the first set of rules pertaining to permissible changes to the original digital content;   apply the first set of rules to the modified digital content to generate a set of verification results; and   store the set of verification results in a computer-readable memory in association with an identifier of the signed certificate.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising processing circuitry to:
 present the verification results to an author of the modified content derived from the original content.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising processing circuitry to:
 providing an alert to an author of the original digital content.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 generate an original digital content;   generate a first set of rules pertaining to permissible changes to the original digital content;   generate a cryptographically signed certificate comprising a reference that provides access to the first set of rules and a hash of the original digital content; and   publish the original digital content and the associated cryptographically signed certificate.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first set of rules comprises at least one of:
 a maximum amount of permissible change for at least one object in the original digital content;   a minimum amount of permissible change for at least one object in the original digital content;   an identifier of one or more portions of the original digital content that cannot be modified;   one or more rules regulating who can modify the original digital content;   one or more rules regulating who cannot modify the original digital content;   one or more rules regulating which tools may be used to modify the original digital content; or   one or more rules defining whether the original digital content may be extended or modified.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first set of rules comprises:
 one or more rules binding the first set of rules to a smart contract.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first set of rules comprises:
 one or more rules limiting a length of a chain of derivative works.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receiving, in an apprising entity, the original digital content, the cryptographically signed certificate, and a modified digital content derived from the original digital content;   extracting, from the signed certificate, the first set of rules pertaining to permissible changes to the original digital content;   applying the first set of rules to the modified digital content to generate a set of verification results; and   storing the set of verification results in a computer-readable memory in association with an identifier of the signed certificate.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 presenting the verification results to an author of the modified content derived from the original content.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 20 , further comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 providing an alert to an author of the original digital content.